The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-01-29
WINTER DISEASES.

The Causes and Symptoms OF Winter
Cough, Pleurisy and Pneumonia.
winter cough" so-called, because
troubling the owner of it most at that
season, while the summer months are
passed in comparative comfort, is
generally due to emphysema of the
lungs. This is an over-distended con-
dition of the air-cclls. accompanied by
asthmatic attacks and chronic bron-
chitis. 1t is usually due to nervous
asthma, or to neglected bronchitis.
Sometimes it comes on after an attack
of pneumonia, probably because OF
violent muscular efforts being made
before the lung has recovered its
healthy condition after the attack of
Inflammation. The breathing is labored,
especially on exertion; cough persists
from the setting in of cold weather un-
til late in the spring; the wheeling
that accompanies respiration is disa-
greeable to the sufferer and to all
about him; and the expectorat;on is ex-
PEELED with difficulty that adds to his
ordinary condition of feebleness. This
is often mistaken for consumption,
but has no relationship to tubercle. 1t
results in enlargement of the heart
first by overgrowth. then by overdis-
tention. then dropsy, and eventually
the duration of life is shortened. The
sanitary precautions to be taken by
those subject TO winter cough" are
these: The clothing must be light and
warm, of flannel next the skin; exposure
to wet weather must be avoided as
much as possible, the feet being par
ticularly guarded against dampness;
extraordinary exertion should not be
attempted, as throwing too much work
upon the weakened heart; and the
chronic bronchitis should be lessened
as much as possible by the use of iodide
of potassium and balsamic remedies.
Too much liquids should not be taken:
they add too much to the bulk of the
blood and require too much work from
the heart to keep the watcry fluid circu-
lating. Inequality of the blood shonld
be improved by the rs, yi iron and
highly nutritious di tr0S which lean
meat should form a considerable pro-
portion.
Pleurisy and pneumonia are thought
by many to be typical winter diseases
But most cases of pleurisy are due to
some poison generated within the body.
and have no relation whatever to ex-
posurs to cold. 1t is probable that
occasionally cold does produce it,
mostly i'm secondary way. Rhcuma-
tism is undoubtedly at the basis of some
pleurisies and. in its turn. may owe
its development to exposure to cold
and damp. But pleurisy is more often
traceable to kidney diseases or to some
other poisoned condition of the blood
than simply to cold. The chronic
form is never brought on by exposure.
Pneumonia of the ordinary type. in
which one lobe of one lung is alone
affected. begins with a severe chill in
most instances. So does smallpox.
Like the latter. it is specific fever
and. no more than it, is caused by ex-
posture to cold. The chill is apt to
male a strong impression that tempera-
ture has something to do with the dis
ease, but it is erroneous. 1t is we'll
known fact that pneumonia is not most
prevalent in the coolest weather. The
spring is its favorite season, at
least most cases occur after the
severest cold weather is over The
other form--that known as q catarrh-
al or broncho-pneumonia--in which
patches or nodules of Inflammation APP
pear scattered through both lungs. IS
often due to the cold That is, the
chilling OF the surface causes "a cold"
or more correctly, bronchitis. and in
small children or the aged this may ex-
tend to the air cells and become q true
broncho-pneumonia. 1t is. however,
more often the se1uelto measles, small
pox. diphtheria or some other blood
poisoning than to cold as such. The
prevention of this form of disease de-
ponds upon preventing the primary
4.